MIT proposes giant 'porch light' to let aliens know we're here

A new MIT study proposes that laser technology on Earth could help find extraterrestrial intelligence, if it exists somewhere in our galaxy, according the Phys.org.

The beacon would be something akin to an inter-planetary porch light that would be strong enough to attract the attention of ET from as far away as 20,000 light years.

The research paper suggest that a high-powered laser focused through a huge 45-meter telescope and aimed into space would produce a beam of infrared radiation that, would stand out from the Sun's intense energy.

The signal could be detectable by alien astronomers especially if they live in nearby solar systems, such as Proxima Centauri, which is the nearest star to Earth.

The signal could be seen as far away as TRAPPIST-1, a star 40 light-years from Earth, and is known to host seven exoplanets, three of which are potentially habitable.

If the signal is spotted by alien astronomers, then the same laser could be used to send a brief message similar to Morse code.